General Description of the Department and the Course
The genetic causes (mutation) of various diseases have recently been discovered. However, several lines of evidence indicate that epigenetic mechanism (factors modulating genomic conformations) have also crucial effects on the diseases. In this sense, we conduct research to clarify the pathogenesis of neurological, psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diseases through the epigenetic mechanism affected by various environmental factors.
FACULTY MEMBER (Areas of Research)Professor: Takeo Kubota (Medical genetics, pediatrics, child neurology)
Associate professor: Kaoru Nagai (Neuroscience, Biochemistry)
Assistant Professor (internal): Takae Hirasawa (Neurochemistry)
Research Associate: Kazushi Endo (Environmental medicine)
Research Associate: Kunio Miyake (Neuroscience)
Administrative Official: Reiko AkiyamaEDUCATION
We give lectures in new fields of medicine such as medical genetics and medical informatics as well as conventional hygiene in order to foster future doctors with broad perspectives.
RESEARCH THEMES(1) Identification of autism genes using genetic and epigenetic approaches.
(2) Better understating for genetic and epigenetic differences between identical twins.
(3) Better understating for epigenetic changes and environmental factors related to acquired neurodevelopmental diseases.
(4) Screening and functional analysis of natural products for preventing neurodegenerative diseases.
(5) Functional analysis of sugar chains in the nervous system.
(6) Analysis of glial cell functions on neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration.
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